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Wow - what an awesome feeling to break that piece of wood & not do it in anger! After viewing the Broken Boards hanging along the wall at the Dojo, I couldn't wait until it was my turn to try. I didn't think it would come so soon! Figured I had to wait a few more months. Last night, Sensei brought out the practice boards and let us try them. I started out with a .5, then .75 then 1 and then 1.50. Broke every one of them! Then the real boards came out. There are 3 females in my class including me and I got nominated to be the first one to try it. Nervous, as the guys were watching....(I guess to see if a woman could do it!) I took several calming breathes, listened to Sensei Bob give me instructions and WHAM! It split in two! One hard Hammer Fist and it was done! Absolute Exhilaration! I can't wait to get my hands on some more boards!

WOW! My first test last night - what a rush! I was so nervous about doing the footwork that I stopped breathing. Not a good thing too do! Sensei David knew I was stressing too much, so he made a point to make me laugh to loosen up. Went much better after that. I was proud that I got thru it and only screwed up once! I'm not good at getting up in front of others - I don't like being in the spotlight so to speak. I just sent my mind towards what I was doing and shut out my classmates that were observing. Guess we all get nervous during a test, being judged and watched by your fellow classmates, fear of failure. Nerve racking to say the least. Did manage to get thru class, practicing falls and rolls on the right side only - left is still in pain. Twinges when I was doing strikes and blocks with the left, but I didn't over do it. It would set me back even more if I re-injure my shoulder. What a great day!

Time to add to my blog - my first injury in class Monday night. Sprained shoulder, contusions - pain. What fun! I told my instructor I will still be back in class next monday. I still have legs and another shoulder! I just don't want to get out of practice or the habit of attending training. By the way, the injury was entirely My Fault! Didn't "Tuck" in enough when I was practicing my front roll. I had just been given the go ahead to try them standing up versus from the knees. I did several just fine - then wham - pain. That's what I get for not paying attention! Perhaps trying to rush things too much! Oh well, it could have been worse!

Three weeks of Aikido class and I absolutely LOVE it. Pretty slow at first, but you have to learn the building blocks before moving into techniques. I have read Aikido for Life by Gaku Homma and am currentlyy reading Aikido A Blue Print for Enlightenment. I think it was the philosophical aspects that really drew me to Aikido. That along with O'Sensei's writings..."I want considerate people to listen to the voice of Aikido. It is not for correcting others;I t is for correcting your own mind". I've seen several variations of the above, but the gist is the same. I am on a mission to correct the inadequacies in myself, my mind.